Wild's Keith Ballard out with upper-body injury

Defenseman Keith Ballard is sidelined yet again, this time because of an “upper-body” injury that Yeo says is not related to the concussion that recently kept him out seven games.

Said Yeo, referring to Ballard “we don’t expect it to be a real long-term thing.” But Ballard was in too much pain to make the two-game road trip.

Ballard, who had three assists in three games since the concussion, will be replaced Thursday by Nate Prosser.

Yeo said the decision to play Prosser had nothing to do with rookie Matt Dumba’s next game being his 10th, which would trigger his three-year contract. Yeo said the Wild needs Prosser on the penalty kill against Washington, the NHL’s best power-play team.